Getting deeper into sequencing and my ES8 is hanging up hard on occasion.

Running Cubase AI4 in Windows XP with a very fast quad core computer and 2 GB memory. Have the latest Yamaha Midi USB driver, 2.2.3 and Motif OS. Running the Motif via the USB connection. Generally works like a champ. Running 7 parts in a Song>Mix setup at the moment.

At certain non-repeatable times, especially after several hours of work, the Motif will lock up cold. Sometimes even when it’s just sitting there with nothing coming in or out over the midi connection. I’ll go to play it or click a button and it’s locked up. Nothing can go in or out. The computer continues to work, as Cubase outputs just fine to my other hardware synths through a Steinberg Midex8 when this occurs. The problem is in the USB Driver/Motif connection because…

I can clear the condition by going out to the desktop, opening the Yamaha USB Midi Driver application and clicking Cancel. The driver window closes immediately and I usually hear a sprinkling of notes like there’s a buffer clearing and emptying into the Motif.

I can then go back to Cubase and all is well until it happens again, sometimes 5 minutes later, sometimes 20, but it seems to be worse after an extended period.

Any ideas what might be the cause and a possible fix or how to go about a debug procedure? Sounds like a buffer is too small or filling up too fast, not emptying properly, etc.

Thanks,

Re: Motif ES Hanging Up With Cubase AI4

Problems I’ve had like this are due to incorrect midi clock settings with the software and/or the Motif. On the Motif ES, press Utility > F5 > SF3 and check to be sure you have no conflicts with your software settings in Cubase.

Bob

Re: Motif ES Hanging Up With Cubase AI4

Bob, thanks for the reply. I did have one goofy setting there that may have been causing difficulty and corrected it. Also went through the Utility section line-by-line and got it all setup armed with my current knowledge.

Also, I had the midi section of the registry packed with over 10 instances of midi usb installations. Cleared those out and re-installed the Yamaha Midi-USB Driver, which was showing installed but not operating properly in the Device Manager.

All is well now, and the Device Manger shows a good installation operating properly.

Thanks for helping me sleuth it out.

Re: Motif ES Hanging Up With Cubase AI4

Check also under Device menu / Device Setup / Windows MIDI the option USE SYSTEM TIMESTAMP. It helps with a proper synchronization when recording MIDI notes played from ES and also could be at least one reason for your problem.

Alex